Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-04-30


duty bravely, and hot let her heaft's
agony hinder her from performing her
daily tasks, cheerfully, readily, remem-
bering that He who had laid this trial
upon her would also help her bear it.
All through the sweet spring time and
the glorious summer Mrs. Shipton lay on
her bed of pain. The doctors were right
in saying that in all probability six
months would elapsc before she would
regain the use of her stricken side, if she
did at ALL The greater part Of Annals
'ime was taken up with her mother. who
was very tretful and impatient, continu-
ally grnmbling at her hard lot.
The winter SHOWS were on the ground
before Mrs. Shipton was able to leave her
bed, and then she had not quite recovered
the use of her limbs.
When the sweet spring flowers once
more opened their eyes again, after their
long winter sleep, Mrs. Shipton had left
her bed. And though she would never
be the woman she once had been, she was
yet infinitely thankful at once more being
able to potter about her little cottage and
employ herself as of yore. The words she
had SO often said of George Harwood had
come true. He had ''taken-up" with
Fannie Spring. So the marriage might
be looked forward to any day. Anna
knew this and bore it bravely-bravely,
outwardly; but alone, in the solitude of
her chamber, the anguish of her heart
was unloosened and in fearless agony,
kneeling by her bed, she would entreat.
God to help her to bear what was before
her, seeing the man she loved welded to
another gill.
One night when Anna was returning
from the little shop, whittier she had been
to make few frugal purchases for their
little household, she met her old lover,
arm in arm with his new love. A flush
came into her pale face, and her heart
took quicker pulsation as she passed
them.
Fannie nodded gay "Good night,
Anna" but her companion never spoke,
and she did not look at him. Hence
forth he must be nothing to her; he who
was still so dear-so dear.
Fannie Spring was frequently in the
habit of running down to the Shipton's
cottage; but, to her credit, she never
once mentioned her lovers name to the
girl whom she had supplanted. She was
a gay, volatile young creature, wilful as
gay, and completely ruled heraged father,
who almost idolized her.
Anna always welcomed the motherless
girl kindly. Perhaps she was not so
thoughtful of her fathers comfort as she
might have been; but then she never had
anybody to teach her what was right and
dutiful, thefore every excuse was due to
her.
There are some natures to whom duty's
dictates come naturally, but with Fannie
Spring it was not so; self was the chiefest
thing with her. But her manner was so
bright and winning that it hid good
many of her faults; and loves eyes are, as
we all know, proverbially blind.
This was the girl George Harwood now
intended to marry.
"What use was it having nice snug
cottage down at Sutton, if there wasn'ta
wife in itl" he had been heard to say F;
but that defect was soon now to be RENE
died, for Fannie Spring was known to
have bought her wedding dress, so the
wedding must be close at hand.
One night little girl came to the Ship
tons cottage with message to Anna
from cid Matthew Spring, begging her to
come and see Fannie, who was rarely
on it." Anna set out at once, and found
the latter with flushed checks and wild
ly-gleaming eyes, in the first stages of
fever.
''Shc had not been well for day or
two, her father said, ''but that night she
seemed a sight worse, talked such glib
berish he couldn't think what allied the
lass
For three whole weeks Anna stayed
with the fever stricken girl, nursing her
night and day with all sisters affection
ate care. In vain. Nothing could bring
back the strength which the fever had
taken. Nothing would bring the hue of
fading away as surely as the summer
flowers when the autumn winds shake
the frail petals to the ground.
1t was a cloudy April night when the
spirit foresook its tenement of clay and
scared upwards. Anna, seeing the end
was near, went down to the Kitchen TO
tell the poor father that his pctted child's
last hour had come, and to help him
upstairs to take last farewell. She
found George Harwood seated with him.
This was the first time she had been
in his company since that April night a
year ago, for though she knew every day
he came to inquire after Fannie, she had
never came across him at those times.
You will come upstairs too, will you
not2" she said to him: ''she is quite
sensible, and has been asking for you"
When they reached the dying girls
room the father fell on his knees beside
the bed sobbing out
my bonnie BARN my bonnie bairn-lh
George Harwood was more composed as
he tenderly bore the poor father up, and
bade him mot take on so, as it would
worrit" But she was beyond all that
now, already the once bright eyes were
dim with the mists of eternity, the gay
voice low as the faintest echo. "Georgem
and though his name was uttered scarcely
above a whisper, he, to whom she spoke,
heard it and bent over the bed anxiously.
"Fanniep and when her dim eyes
rested on the ono who had nurscd her so
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